


Apology

by Donovanspen



Series: Whumptober 2019 [8]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Caring Magnus Bane, Cranky Alec Lightwood, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Injured Alec Lightwood, M/M, Patient Magnus Bane, Whumptober 2019, prompt: stab wound
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-14 21:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21022604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Donovanspen/pseuds/Donovanspen
Summary: Getting stabbed tends to make Alec cranky. Fortunately, Magnus is a patient man.





	Apology

Alec clenched his jaw but still couldn’t help the grunt of pain that escaped when he leaned forward to try and pull his sweatpants up past his knees. The pain in his side was becoming unbearable again. He wasn’t accustomed to waiting this long to heal, especially from a stupid mistake. He didn’t make mistakes in the field, but this time he had, and he was having a hard time accepting that fact. Runes and magic could only do so much, and he was annoyed that he’d put himself in this position. He’d spent the past ten minutes sitting on the side of the bed trying to put his pants on, and his frustration was growing with each passing second.

“Alexander, let me help you.”

“Magnus, I got it.” He really didn’t, but Magnus had already helped him with his shower and getting his shirt and underwear on. He had to draw the line somewhere. Ideally, it would have been before the shower, but it didn’t work out that way. He wasn’t prepared to spend the rest of the evening with Magnus taking care of him as if he were a child.

“It’s no problem. Here let me.” Magnus reached for the waistband of the sweatpants.

“Stop! I don’t need your help,” Alec snapped, his frustration and humiliation boiling over. He watched as Magnus’s expression went from surprised to hurt to carefully blank all in a matter of seconds. He dropped his hand and moved away from Alec.

“Of course. I’ll be in the other room.”

Alec wanted to punch something. Magnus didn’t deserve this. All he ever did was try to help, and all he got in return from Alec was more grief. His eyes began to burn with tears that he didn’t want to fall. He needed to get out of here, but he couldn’t even get himself dressed. He needed to apologize. It wasn’t fair to make Magnus feel bad just because he couldn’t get his shit together. He gave up on the sweatpants and kicked them off from around his ankles. It took a couple of tries for him to get to his feet and then another moment to steady himself as a burst of pain had him seeing spots. He pressed his arm to his side to dull the ache and started across the room, getting as far as the doorway before he had to lean against it for a rest.

Magnus was across the room, standing in front of the balcony doors.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Magnus, but that was exactly what he had done.

“Don’t apologize. You told me you didn’t need help. I should have listened,” Magnus replied without turning around.

“Don’t do that. This is not on you. I’m just frustrated this is taking so long to heal,” Alec offered, even though that wasn’t all of it.

“Yes, the poison that was used on the dagger was designed to spread throughout your body, eating away at it from the inside. While Catarina’s potion prevented it from spreading, I’m afraid it will take a while for the wound itself to heal.”

Alec felt another measure of shame wash over him. Magnus had done so much to heal and take care of him, and now because of Alec’s bad behavior, Magnus wouldn’t even face him. “Will you please look at me?”

Magnus turned and the easy smile he had pasted on fell once he laid eyes on Alec. “Oh, Alexander. You shouldn’t be on your feet.”

“I know, but I was an ass, and I needed to apologize.”

“No, I was smothering you, and -”

“Stop.” Alec tried to lift his arm in a halt motion but grimaced and pressed his arm back to his side. “Dammit,” he hissed. “I’m sorry I made a mess of things tonight.” He had been difficult because he didn’t want Magnus to see him as a child, yet here he was feeling utterly foolish, standing there in his underwear and apologizing for behaving like such an ass.

“It’s forgotten,” Magnus said coming over to him. “Let’s get you back to bed.” Magnus hovered by his side, standing near enough to help but not touching.

It was a slow shuffle back to the bedroom. By the time Magnus reached to help him ease down on the bed, Alec had broken out in a small sweat and was ready to swallow the last of his pride. Lying down felt so good, and thankfully, Magnus wasn’t petty about helping him.

“Alexander, may I check the wound?”

Alec hated that Magnus even felt he had to ask. “Yeah, ok.”

Magnus lifted the hem of his shirt and then made a ‘tsking’ sound. “You’re bleeding again. I’m going to clean it, and then put some salve on it.”

Alec knew Magnus was being tactful and not pointing out that Alec had aggravated the wound with his stubborn pride. “Don’t you ever get tired of taking care of me?” he asked, a twinge of self-pity creeping into his tone.

“Never,” Magnus immediately replied. “Here. I’m going to take your shirt off, but don’t sit up. I’m just going to ease it out from under you.”

“You can’t mean that,” Alec muttered, referring to his earlier reply.

“I do,” Magnus assured him. “If I were to use magic right now to remove your shirt, I wouldn’t get to feel all this delicious skin.”

Alec bit back a sharp laugh. “Stop. Don’t make me laugh.”

“Of course.” Using gentle but sure moves, Magnus got him out of the shirt and then treated his wound.

“Hey.” Alec waited until Magnus caught his eye. “I do appreciate how much you help me. I’m just sorry you have to do it so often.”

“While I’d rather not see you hurt, I’d be more upset if I couldn’t help you when needed. Your focus is on not being a bother, while I’m trying not to dwell on the fact that I could have lost you.”

Alec was about to apologize again when Magnus shook his head and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. “Apology accepted.”


End file.
